The hotel is just one of many businesses in the city taking new steps to combat the disease and protect the health of their customers.

"We require every star-rated hotel to ask every in-room guest to fill out a health declaration form," said Shi Tiehua, an official with the Shanghai Tourism Administrative Commission.

Shi said a notice about SARS, printed in Chinese, English, Japanese and Korean, will be posted in every star-rated hotel room in the city to make sure tourists are aware of the disease and what steps they can take to prevent catching it.

The Equatorial is dispensing medicinal soaps in public bathrooms and now requires all kitchen staff to wash their hands with disinfectant every 30 minutes.

The Pudong Shangri-La Hotel requires food handlers, housekeepers, laundry and linen attendants to wear gloves and masks. The hotel sanitizes all gym facilities after use, cleans air filters and offers surgical masks for in-room guests.

Local restaurants are also changing their practices as fear of the disease spreads throughout the country.

"We open all the doors and windows and require every staff member to report their health condition every day. We have asked waitresses to separate food to every customer's plate with chopsticks and spoons," said Zhu Peifang, of Xing Hua Lou, a Cantonese restaurant on Fuzhou Road.

"We provide disposable food boxes and chopsticks, but some customers still bring their own bowls to our shops for the sake of hygiene," said Wang Tang, of Cang Lang Ting, a local noodle shop.

Shanghai Lu Bo Lang Restaurant is placing disposable cups and mineral water in its bathrooms for customers to disinfect and gargle with.

(eastday.com April 23, 2003)